There have been a few reports this offseason about the Seattle Seahawks and their performance enhancement drugs problems and tests. Is that a concern for you knowing that they’re your chief division rival and just what’s going on up there with that team?

“Is there concern? I’ve definitely noticed it. You don’t know what it is. Even when people say what it is, you don’t know that that’s what it is. For this, throw it out, or it’s that. But, that’s usually the agents of the players themselves saying it’s, for example Adderall. But, the NFL doesn’t release what it actually is. So, you have no idea. You’re taking somebody at their word, that I don’t know that you can take them at their word, understanding the circumstances.”

Audio of Harbaugh answering the first question:

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How do you address that stuff with your players?

“Has no place in an athlete’s body. Play by the rules. And you always want to be above reproach. Especially when you’re good, because you don’t want people to come back and say, they’re winning because they’re cheating. And that’s always going to be a kneejerk reaction by people, I’ve found in my experience ever since I was a little kid. So, we want to be above reproach in everything, and do everything by the rules. Because if you cheat to win, then you’ve already lost, ccording to Bo Schembechler. And Bo Schembechler is about next to the word of God as you can get in my mind. It’s not the word of God, but it’s close.”

Ah, yes. No Harbaugh media gaggle is complete without a good Schembechler reference. Nothing Harbaugh said was too controversial, but we’ll see in the coming days (hours?) if Bay Area native Pete Carroll has anything to say in response to Harbaugh saying he has “definitely noticed” the drug suspensions that have become commonplace in the Pacific Northwest since Carroll took over. The part about not necessarily believing players who say they were suspended for using Adderall might get some attention as well, come to think about it.

Here’s a 39-second video of Harbaugh answering the second question:

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